Toilet Safety: The Missing Link for Social Engagement and Happiness?

Innovative Aging: Toilet Safety: The Missing Link for Social Engagement and Happiness? (Episode 2)

Audio Runtime: 55 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 21 Minutes

Dan Walkowiak, product and market development manager at Bemis Manufacturing, joins host Carol Chiang for a candid conversation about transforming toilet safety from a clinical necessity to a driver of independence and dignity. Together, they explore how innovations like raised toilet seats, color contrast design, and integrated bidet technology can prevent falls, ease caregiver burden, and improve quality of life. You’ll hear real-world stories of patients whose social engagement and happiness were restored by simple bathroom modifications and gain practical ideas you can start using with your own patients today.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the evidence around bathroom safety interventions in reducing falls and improving independence for individuals with mobility challenges or cognitive challenges
• Determine the situations in which specific toileting and bathroom safety solutions provide the most benefit, considering patient needs, environmental factors, caregiver involvement, aesthetics, and cost
• Solve patient case scenarios involving toileting challenges by selecting solutions that bridge the gap between clinical safety recommendations and real-life usability in home and facility settings

This is an audio-only course. Additional materials are available for download within the course. To receive continuing education credit, complete the course and the accompanying quiz.

Guest Bio Dan Walkowiak brings nearly two decades of experience in the medical field to his current role as product manager at Bemis, where he leads the growth of Bemis Independence—a product line focused on providing safer, more dignified bathroom solutions. His career began as an EMT in Milwaukee, responding to both emergency and patient transfer calls, and later transitioned into durable medical equipment sales, where he developed a passion for helping people find meaningful, everyday solutions. That passion now fuels his work in product development as he collaborates with healthcare professionals to design bathroom supports that blend safety, comfort, and user choice.

Disclosure: Our guest today is affiliated with a company that develops technology in the area we’re discussing. While we won’t be endorsing any specific product, listeners should be aware of this connection as part of our commitment to transparency.